On 20 September 2025, APSCC co-organised International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICCD) 2025 at Kalapet Beach, Puducherry, as part of India's nationwide Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar (Clean Sea, Safe Sea) campaign — an effort that clears our coasts while gathering the data that shapes national policy.
The campaign is spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India. The Kalapet drive was organised by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) in partnership with APSCC, and supported by Pondicherry University, Puducherry Technological University, MVIT and the Oulgaret Municipality.
A nationwide movement
ICCD 2025 was far more than a local event. Cleanup drives ran simultaneously across all coastal states and Union Territories of India, uniting citizens, students, institutions and government bodies in a single day of collective action for the ocean. The goals were shared nationwide: to clean coasts and waterways, to raise awareness of marine litter and plastic pollution, and to encourage sustainable everyday practices.
Guiding the whole campaign are the three Rs — a simple, memorable framework for reducing the litter that reaches our seas in the first place.
Science on the shoreline
What set the Kalapet cleanup apart was its scientific rigour. Beyond removing litter, volunteers carried out a quantitative assessment of marine litter using a standardized data sheet — recording the type, quantity and source of waste collected. These findings feed directly into the evidence base for India's National Marine Litter Policy, turning a morning of volunteering into a lasting contribution to research and governance.
Every bag of litter counted at Kalapet is a data point for cleaner seas — the power of collective action lies in turning small local efforts into national policy.
Rooted in a global decade of restoration
ICCD 2025 aligns with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), reinforcing the link between local beach cleanups and the worldwide effort to restore degraded coastal and marine ecosystems. International Coastal Cleanup Day is observed annually on the third Saturday of September.
Aligned with the SDGs
The initiative advances several Sustainable Development Goals — protecting life below water, building sustainable communities, tackling climate change and strengthening partnerships for shared goals:
Event: International Coastal Cleanup Day 2025 — Beach Clean Up · 20 September 2025, Kalapet Beach, Puducherry University. Organised by NCCR in partnership with APSCC under the MoES Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar campaign.